mayor gavin newsom. the mayor said some mighty nice things about me, but i tell you -- this would not have happened without the speaker and the mayor. i had been navy secretary about 10 minutes when the speaker called and said, "can we do something about treasure island?" i went up and talked to her, and and i talked to the mayor, and it was a group effort, a team effort, and we stood on the work that other people have done, and a couple of those folks are here today. mayor willie brown, and my predecessor as secretary of the navy, both of whom were here when this process started, and both of whom live the groundwork for what we are able to do here today, so thank you.

united states navy in association with treasure island began 70 years ago, right after the completion of world expo, 1939-1940. the navy took this over, and from these shores, tens of thousands of sailors and marines left the fight in the pacific in world war ii, and a lot of those sailors and marines who left from here, this was the last time they saw america, and they made the ultimate sacrifice for us. as we transfer this treasure, this island, from the navy back to the city, i hope that all of us will remember the service and sacrifice of every sailor, every marine, living and dead.

[applause] and the people who left from here and the people who serve today, risking everything, so that we can celebrate today. that legacy lives on in the young men and women who wear the cloth of this country and who are deployed around the world as we meet here today. when the famous or infamous bates 3 aligning closure process started in 1988, a final result of any individual base closure and transfer could not have hoped for a better ultimate outcome than what has been achieved in treasure island. the navy's charge is to dispose of property in a manner that

promotes economic development. that has been done. the transfer of treasure island is a win for san francisco. it is a win for the state of california, a win for the united states navy, and a win for the american taxpayers who paid for this base and all the infrastructure that was here. because of this transfer, the american taxpayer gets fair market value for treasure island. because of this transfer, hundreds of millions of dollars of economic development will flow into the city of san francisco and into this whole area, and because of this transfer, treasure island will bring thousands of great jobs right here. first, as new buildings are built, and then, as this island more and more and this new development becomes an ongoing an integral part to the city of

san francisco. for our part, the mayor said the navy is going to get significant rewards by sharing a portion of the revenues, which could in turn be used to make sure that our sailors and marines have the tools that they need to do the mission that they are being sent on. i am incredibly grateful to two fine public servants -- mayor newsom and his staff, speaker pelosi and hers, and the entire california congressional delegation for their commitment to resolving this transfer. speaker pelosi has been working on this issue since her very early years in congress, and over the years, even though negotiations have sometimes been difficult, the speaker has always had the best interest of the city, of the state, of the

navy, and of the nation at heart. what we have achieved here can serve as a template for future transfers of military bases across the country. i am also very grateful to the speaker for her leadership on energy and on energy legislation and for her commitment, along with the president, to change the way we use and produce energy in the united states and building toward a new energy economy. it is of tremendous importance, the way we produce energy and the way we use it, to the navy and marine corps because how we power our ships and our aircraft fundamentally about national security, just as energy reform for the country at large is about energy independence, national security, as well as about economic development and job creation. here on treasure island is -- as the mayor so eloquently pointed

out, there is an opportunity to demonstrate what happens when sustainable development and sustainable usage is considered from the very beginning of a project. here on treasure island, there is an opportunity to build a working model of the president's new energy future, and because of the leadership of the public servants who stand here today, i look forward to seeing that model become an example for the rest of the country to follow. thank you so much for being with us today. it is my incredible honor and pleasure to introduce to you your native daughter, the speaker of the united states house of representatives, nancy pelosi. [applause] >> thank you, mr. secretary. thank you all. thank you, mr. mayor.

what an honor it is for us to welcome the secretary of the navy to treasure island for this very important occasion. he is a live long public servant -- governor, ambassador, and secretary. he has focused on critical issues facing our nation's education and national security, currently leading our efforts to restore the gulf region, but as an ambassador to saudi arabia, governor of mississippi, person committed to a better future for america, he sees the connection of all of these issues. i appreciate your leadership. i thank you for acknowledging that the military is one of the biggest users of energy in our country. and thank you for your leadership in connecting the military with energy efficiency. it is a national security issue for sure. i want to join you in welcoming one of your predecessors,

secretary dalton, here today. we stand on your shoulders and those of willie brown, for the foundation that was late for us to go forward. when we finally got a president, i will be frank, who finally understood the city of treasure island. it should not have been so hard to explain, but for some reason, it was. we were ready with new leadership to capture the opportunity. thank you for your work under mayer brown, and now, mayor news of. mr. mayer, you know that when we started these meetings, we were practically writing to each other on stone tablets. it seems it was that long ago. and i leading up to our teleconferencing. when the mayor was not in washington advocating for the city of san francisco and this initiative in particular, i would walk into the room, and there he would be. there he is on the screen,

advocating for san francisco and these issues in particular. because, as the mayor indicated, he said the city is 47 square miles. tiny city. my district is 32 square miles within the city of san francisco, and all three, mr. secretary, of those military bases are contained in this 32 square miles. the presidio, the hunters point naval shipyard, and treasure island. naval shipyard has long been on the closure list, but the presidio and treasure island came in the late 1980's. first, we fought the closure, and then we accepted our fate and had a transition, and i appreciate the secretary saying that the model a country on how we go forward. the mayor, his leadership has

been relentless on behalf of this project. there brown was similarly relentless, and that is why when we had a new president, we were ready. michael, thank you for your leadership. thank you for your work and your leadership as director of drug development of san francisco, because that -- zap worked so hard to make all of this possible. i wanted to make sure that they were recognized, but there are so many other partners who have not been acknowledged, and i associate myself with the remarks made in praise of them. from the beginning of world war ii, treasure island served as a critical base for the united states navy. hunters point, presidio,

treasure island -- how proud san francisco has been with our association with our men and women in uniform and the role they all play make us the home of the brave and the land of the free. but when the closure commission came along and decided our fate -- as i said, at first, we resisted, and then, we use our imagination. we wanted to be respectful because during the war, this is a center for receiving training and deploying members of our military serving in the pacific theater, as the secretary said so beautifully. some see this as their last view of america after they went off to war. in the decades that followed, the navy continued to train service members here as this facility became a crossroad for sailors and marines, those on their way to the cross pacific,

and those coming home. when the base was set to close, leaders of this city and its representatives in congress recognized the potential for treasure island to remain a vital piece of our region poses success and future. today on the basis of this great history, treasure island officially entered its next chapter, this time as a center for jobs and economic development. thanks to the agreement, we can now move forward on plans to build essential infrastructure, open space and parks, hotels and housing for local residents, and very respectful of the residents who are already here. thank you for being with us today. remaking treasure island will mean significant contributions to indiana sets -- industry central, san francisco's

economic vitality, tourism, retail, restaurant, and entertainment, and manufacturing. this project is of innovative practices to extend our leadership and sustainability. the mayor and secretary have already mentioned them. green building standards, congested management, innovative storm water treatment, and infrastructure that the uses energy use, and it marks another step forward in our drive to transform former military installations like the presidio and hunters point, into centers of commerce that generate jobs and strengthen our community. perhaps most significant of all, this project means critical investment and benefits for our city and our region's economy. more than $5 billion in public and private investment. nearly 3000 permanent jobs, five

times the number of the 1 billion jobs that existed when the banks close. just before the banks closed, it had 1/5 of the number of civilian jobs it will have as we go forward. 2000 temporary jobs per year during construction, and up to 8000 new residential units, 30% of which will be offered at rates affordable for low and middle income families. all three of us have touched on this. we want you to know that is the commitment. in the wake of a deep economic crisis that took a toll on so many in san francisco bay area and across the country, these forthcoming economic benefits could not come at a better time, and they will provide a welcome boost to our city's economy and the entire region. this transfer of the space took a team effort between all of us

-- to a team effort. all of us wanted to have the best possible agreement, not only for san francisco and the bay area, but for the u.s. taxpayer, which everyone here is, so this is about your money and your community. let's do this in the best possible way. it is a low priority for all of us in the office here, and i want to commend senator feinstein and boxer for all of their leadership to help procure an agreement to help transfer this land. partnered with mayer brown earlier, and now with mayor newsom, to keep the city's interest front and center. they were great leaders. and with the governor to engage key republican members of the house on services committee. i do not know if anyone was

here from the state, but i thank the governor for the help with republican members. those republican members joined our chairman to include provisions in last year's defense bill to expedite overdue based transfers, collaborating with the house armed services committee to add flexibility regarding compensation for land value to start the process of igniting economic growth here and in communities nationwide. again, in what we were requesting, not only did we benefit because we had the legislation, but it benefited other communities around the country. treasure island's routes have remained firmly planted through our nation's navy. now, those routes will go deeper, providing a foundation for growth, prosperity, and opportunity for our economy. today, i'm very honored to be joining mayor gavin newsom.

again, without his leadership, this would not have been possible. he was relentless, as he always is. using all the new technologies to make sure that we were never off the radar, grid, or any other screen in terms of moving this along. again, as i said, the foundation that was led by previous scenarios. now, these roots go deeper, and it is a sign of signing this endorsement agreement today, we ensure that this site will remain a source of jobs for our community for decades to come. all of you who played a role in this should take great satisfaction that part of your legacy of public service went to something that the mayor calls a big deal, a very big deal for our community, for our country. in closing, i just want to

salute the navy for keeping treasure island safe for us so that we could come to this day of transition to civilian use that is also a sign of the strength of our country. thank you all very much. [applause] >> thank you. i would also like to acknowledge the tremendous partnership that we have had in the department of defense. the folks in the navy's office that we work with on a daily basis, some of whom are here, some are not. i would now like to invite you

to the table to my left to commemorate with your signature the historic agreement for the transfer, formal mail station trichet -- treasure island for the city and county of san francisco.

[applause] >> ladies and gentlemen, that concludes our program. thank you so much for being here today. we hope that you will join us for a reception, which is in a building just to our right. it is a short walk. this says there are staff from the mayor's office who will be along the way to help you get there, and we hope to see you over there. thank you again for joining us on this wonderful day. [applause]

>> what if you could make a

memorial that is more about information and you are never fixed and it can go wherever it wants to go? everyone who has donated to it could use it, host it, share it. >> for quite a great deal of team she was hired in 2005, she struggled with finding the correct and appropriate visual expression. >> it was a bench at one point. it was a darkened room at another point. but the theme always was a theme of how do we call people's attention to the issue of speci species extinction. >> many exhibits do make long detailed explanations about species decline and biology of birds and that is very useful for lots of purposes. but i think it is also important to try to pull at the strings inside people. >> missing is not just about

specific extinct or endangered species. it is about absence and a more fundamental level of not knowing what we are losing and we need to link species loss to habitat loss and really focuses much on the habitat. >> of course the overall mission of the academy has to do with two really fundamental and important questions. one of wch is the nature of life. how did we get here? the second is the challenge of sustainability. if we are here how are we going to find a way to stay? these questions resonated very strongly with maya. >> on average a species disappears every 20 minutes. this is the only media work that i have done. i might never do another one because i'm not a media artist per se but i have used the

medium because it seemed to be the one that could allow me to convey the sounds and images here. memorials to me are different from artworks. they are artistic, but memorials have a function. >> it is a beautiful scupltural objective made with bronze and lined with red wood from water tanks in clear lake. that is the scupltural form that gives expression to maya's project. if you think about a cone or a bull horn, they are used to get the attention of the crowd, often to communicate an important message. this project has a very important message and it is about our earth and what we are losing and what we are missing and what we don't even know is gone. >> so, what is missing is starting with an idea of loss,

but in a funny way the shape of this cone is, whether you want to call it like the r.c.a. victor dog, it is listen to the earth and what if we could create a portal that could look at the past, the present and the future? >> you can change what is then missing by changing the software, by changing what is projected and missing. so, missing isn't a static installation. it is an installation that is going to grow and change over time. and she has worked to bring all of this information together from laboratory after laboratory including, fortunately, our great fwroup of researche e-- g researchers at the california academy. >> this couldn't have been more site specific to this place and we think just visually in terms of its scupltural form it really holds its own against the architectural largest and grandeur of the building. it is an unusual compelling

object. we think it will draw people out on the terrace, they will see the big cone and say what is that. then as they approach the cone tell hear these very unusual sounds that were obtained from the cornell orinthology lab. >> we have the largest recording of birds, mammals, frogs and insects and a huge library of videos. so this is an absolutely perfect opportunity for us to team up with a world renown, very creative inspirational artist and put the sounds and sights of the animals that we study into a brand-new context, a context that really allows people to appreciate an esthetic way of the idea that we might live in the world without these sounds or sites. >> in the scientific realm it is shifting baselines. we get used to less and less,

diminished expectations of what it was. >> when i came along lobsters six feet long and oysters 12 inches within they days all the oyster beds in new york, manhattan, the harbor would clean the water. so, just getting people to wake up to what was just literally there 200 years ago, 150 years ago. you see the object and say what is that. you come out and hear these intriguing sounds, sounds like i have never heard in my life. and then you step closer and you almost have a very intimate experience. >> we could link to different institutions around the globe, maybe one per continent, maybe two or three in this country, then once they are all networked, they begin to communicate with one another and share information. in 2010 the website will launch, but it will be what you would call an informational website and then we are going to try to,

by 2011, invite people to add a memory. so in a funny way the member rely grows and there is something organic about how this memorial begins to have legs so to speak. so we don't know quite where it will go but i promise to keep on it 10 years. my goal is to raise awareness and then either protect forests from being cut down or reforest in ways that promote biodiversity. >> biodiverse city often argued to be important for the world's human populations because all of the medicinal plants and uses that we can put to it and fiber that it gives us and food that it gives us. while these are vital and important and worth literally hundreds of billions of dollars, the part that we also have to be able to communicate is the more spiritual sense of how important it is that we get to live side by side with all of these forms

that have three billion years of history behind them and how tragic it would be not commercially and not in a utilitarian way but an emotio l emotional, psychological, spiritual way if we watch them one by one disappear. >> this is sort of a merger between art and science and advocacy in a funny way getting people to wake unand realize what is going on -- wake up and realize what is going on. so it is a memborial trying to get us to interpret history and look to the past. they have always been about lacking at the past so we proceed forward and maybe don't commit the same mistakes. announcer: this is sarah watkins. a lot of people almost helped her. one almost cooked for her. another almost drove her to the doctor.